Choosing to work from home is NOT the same as the situation we are in. We need more than tools to make this work.
Studies suggest that the main issues we will encounter are being unable to unplug, loneliness and increased difficulty in collaboration and communication.
Tips for you, as a leader
- Allow flexibility in working hours
- Make sure people are not working long hours
- Send an additional screen to everybody’s home
- Add a nice pack to it: coffee beans, a small plant, a fruit pack, a nice book, …
- Encourage non-work conversations: set up open Zoom meetings at lunch time, scheduled coffee breaks, Friday end of the day, etc.
- Start weekly retros and talk openly about energy, productivity and happiness levels
- Make sure there is always someone available to talk to anybody at any time
- Be present, more than ever
For you, as an employee
- Communicate your working hours
- Start/continue daily stand-ups: discuss with your team the best time for everybody to attend
- Be aware of the differences on each other’s way of working remotely
- Be extra aware of how you communicate: stress and worry levels are higher
- Analyze and learn from this: remove unnecessary meetings, come up with collaboration improvements, think about new projects to start, etc.
For all of us
- Create a routine and habits
- Move everyday: go for a walk outside if you can, practice yoga at home, dance in your living room
- Get your pyjamas out
- Make sure you take small breaks during the day
- Eat healthy and sleep well
- Make the most out of it: read those books you have lying around, watch full seasons of Star Trek, play games, Marie Kondo your house, do a puzzle, …
And do not forget to practice compassion and watch out for each other. We are in this together. And we are going to have to be at our best to make this work
Andrea
